Former ATS Formula 3 Cup driver finishes third at Macau

All eyes of the Formula 3 world were on Macau today. Drivers from all over the world gathered at the 6.12-km track running through the Chinese metropolis to contest the FIA Intercontinental Cup, which is considered the unofficial world finale of Formula 3 sports. Among them were former contestants of the ATS Formula 3 Cup including Luis Felipe Derani, Lucas Auer, Felix Rosenqvist, Dennis van de Laar, Tom Blomqvist and the current fifth in the overall rankings of 2013, John Bryant-Meisner. However, the Swede was out of luck and did not finish the prestigious race, just like his compatriot Rosenqvist and Austrian Auer. Dutch driver van de Laar took the chequered flag in 18th place, Brit Blomqvist in eighth. Brazilian Derani secured a fantastic third place.

The conditions were perfect. The current fifth of the overall rankings of the 2013 ATS Formula 3 Cup made his debut at Circuito da Guia. Having put in a remarkable performance in the free practice sessions and the Qualification Race today was not John Bryant-Meisner’s day. Bryant-Meisner was literally thrown into retirement, as he hit the barriers at high speed at the ultra-fast Mandarin Bend amid a first-lap jostle for position. The Swedish was tagged by a rival and sent into the wall, retiring on the spot with substantial damage to his Fortec Motorsports machine. More importantly, however, he escaped injury. Brit Felix Rosenqvist, contesting the race for Team GR Asia with Mücke, and Austrian Lucas Auer from Theodore Racing by Prema did not finish the race either.

Third place for Luis Felipe Derani
Luis Felipe Derani definitely stood out today among all former contestants of the German Formula 3. The Brazilian, who contested the 2010 ATS Formula 3 Cup for Motopark Academy, secured a phenomenal third place for his team Fortec Motorsport today. His team-mate Tom Blomqvist grabbed a great eighth place. The Brit contested the ATS Formula 3 Cup in 2011 and 2012, initially for Performance Racing, later for Eurointernational. He finished sixth and seventh respectively in the overall rankings. Dennis van de Laar took the chequered flag in 18th place for KFZ-Teile24 Mücke Motorsport. The Dutch driver secured the ninth place for Van Amersfoort Racing in the 2012 ATS Formula 3 Cup. Brit Alex Lynn, who contested for Theodore Racing by Prema, won the race.

60th edition of the prestigious race
The Macau Grand Prix, pitching the planet’s brightest driving talents against each other in an end-of-season world finale, is widely regarded as one of the most important events on the global junior single-seater arena. The 2013 edition featured a total of 28 drivers from 17 different countries, including F3 regulars and title winners joined by frontrunners from the ranks of GP3, GP2 and World Series by Renault. Several German Formula 3 drivers even won at Macau: John Nielsen, Rickard Rydell, Jörg Müller, Sascha Maaßen, André Couto and exceptional driver Michael Schumacher.